§ Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, whether, as the present pensions of naval officers were based partly on the cost-of-living figure, as calculated by the Ministry of Labour, and as this cost-of-living figure does not properly represent the living costs of retired officers, he will consider the advisability of evolving a special cost-of-living figure which will fairly reflect such costs?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLNo, Sir, as the Ministry of Labour cost-of-living index figure affects the remuneration of public servants generally, retired Naval officers cannot be regarded as a class having a claim for separate treatment in this respect.